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Expert Predicts IAEA Will Clear Iran of Charges

Although opponents of the international nuclear accord between Iran and major powers will not stop attempting to block its implementation, the historic deal is so important that the International Atomic Energy Agency's board of governors will likely acquit Iran of all charges regarding its past nuclear activities to clear the way for the pact to come into effect, a former nuclear negotiator comments.

Sirous Nasseri made the remark in an interview with IRNA published on Saturday.

Expressing pleasure with the IAEA report issued on Thursday, Nasseri said, "The IAEA's assessment indicates that the whole process will result in Iran's exoneration; nonetheless, the verdict may not be finalized early."

According to the IAEA report, in the period to October 15, activities set out in the roadmap for the clarification of past and present outstanding issues regarding Iran's nuclear program were completed. The roadmap was signed between Iran and the UN nuclear agency on July 14 alongside the nuclear deal between Iran and major powers. As part of the nuclear pact Iran agreed to implement measures envisaged in the roadmap and undertake other activities to scale down its nuclear work to pave the way for the lifting of sanctions by the UN, the EU and the United States.

It also said, "By December 15, Director General [Yukiya Amano] will provide, for action by the board of governors, the final assessment on the resolution of all past and present outstanding issues."

"Under the mid-July nuclear accord, the P5+1 (the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany) are committed to resolving old disputes based on the IAEA report and it is very unlikely that they run the risk of scrapping the momentous international agreement," Naseri pointed out.

Attaching great importance to the Guardian Council endorsement of the parliamentary bill that calls on the government to take "reciprocal and proportional" measures with the other parties to the deal in the process of implementing the agreement, the expert reiterated Iran wants its national interests to be protected during the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, as the accord is formally known.

***Laborious Process

On the timeline for the implementation of the pact, Nasseri said, "The JCPOA is expected to be implemented as of late December, a date to which people are eagerly looking forward with the hope to see the easing of their economic burden."

With respect to the removal of sanctions, the expert believes that between the JCPOA's adoption day and its implementation day, the US and European countries have to modify their domestic regulations to meet terms of the action plan and terminate or cease sanctions on Iran, a lengthy and laborious process as most of such regulations involve legal complexities.